Lately I have been having a lot of problems with my TKD training. I feel like I have reached a point in which I don't feel like I am improving. I am tired of seeing the same people everyday. What I really hate right now is that everytime I partner up with my best friend I end really mad because she is always telling me that I don't do anything right. She always says that I don't help her because I don't catch her kicks. I am really getting tired of her attitude. Even though I do try to help her she keeps telling me this. I also don't like sparring anymore. I used to love sparring, I lived for it, but right now evertime our instructor says that it is time to spar I just hate it. I also haven't been training at my 100% since a shelf fell on my big toe and just smashed it. I don't know what to do, because I really like TKD and I would like to like it the way I used to. I am saving so I can go to Korea to train. I like TKD, and I want to go to Korea. I just don't feel like I am enjoying TKD lately. I go daily to class, but whenever I can I find an excuse for not going. I have a tournament on this Saturday. I am a little worried about it. I hope I enjoy sparring with different and unknown people.
Not sure what to tell you on this one. It seems to me like you have some people in class that are taking the fun out of it. Have you tried approaching your friend about the attitude? Seems like a problem that needs to be worked out. As far as the part about not enjoying sparring I would think that you may need a little time off. People get burned out doing the same thing over and over and if you don't feel challenged that may also be a part of your boredom. You may want to speak with your instructor in as delicate a manner as possible and ask for his feedback. I think you will find that everyone has had the same boredom periodically, and in time it will pass.
Eventually, most will stand where you are. You have to fight your demon and figure out why. I taught TKD for a short while, and I teach piano. All students are the same...that is why everyone looks foward to summer break. Change up your routine. I would encourage you not to quit in the state you are in now, buut eventually you may end up feeling pulled to a differnet art. If so, do not fear the change. Right now though, I think you might just need a "summer break" from school. It might help you refocus...just wait unti after tournament.
Same was with me when I was a blue belt. The people just get annoying, you don't feel productive, and you just... don't get that homey feeling anymore. I'd prolly not go to as many classes, maybe every other day or twice a week or something. That way you can have stuff in between classes that destracts you from thinking about it and letting it get to you. Or, as the previous posters have said, take a chunk of time out. Whichever you feel more comfortable doing. With your friend, I'd have an honest talk with her. I mean her attitude is completely negative towards you, how is that supposed to help you? It's not. Tell her you notice how she always shuts you down, and instead of doing that to either lighten up or help you get better. And about her not 'learning' anything- that's bullocks. If she interprets the situation in the correct manner, she'll pull something out of it, no matter how small. And you won't/can't/don't catch her kicks? She's not supposed to get used to any one person doing any one thing in sparring (versitality is key, right?), so that's her deal. She has to take it upon herself that not everyone will do what SHE wants, not everyone will take it the way she wants them to, or the way she gives it. Take that same advice for yourself- everyone else in class might not be as intense as you, or try as hard as you, but you've got to make your own training. Take their slow sparring as an oppertunity to work a couple techniques out (especially with tourney coming up, you may want to work on refining a couple of moves to have in your arsenal). Clear it with them first, though, doing the whole "Would it be alright if I tried this on you?" before you start your round, just so the person knows what to expect. If all of your fellow students are lacking in the sparring department, ask your instructor. Intimidating, hell yeah, but it's great sparring, innit? An oppertunity to learn and see things in a way you've never seen them before. And CERTAINLY humbling. I've found that instructors can hit you so cleanly with the simplest stuff, stuff you normally block and dismiss as nothing. Woo, that's my two cents. Good luck to you, and definately have a talk with that friend of yours. -Kat
Take a fortnight off, you will be itching to get back to your lessons then. Your toe might be 100% as well - that will give you an even bigger boost when you return
I agree with "take a break." Something you might want to do, if you have enough base experience in TKD, is to go cross train in something that you feel weak in, like boxing for punching or judo for throws, BJJ for grappling. Aside from the added techniques and expanding your repetoire, just the feeling of being a total beginner again and the initial excitement at learning something new is great and can often trigger a renewed interest in your other system. Of course with time and money constraints it may be limited, but it is the best way to enhance your learning IMO. You don't go to high school or college and just take history or only calculus... why should you do that with martial arts training? The only thing is to make sure you have a strong base in TKD, otherwise you have nothing to build upon (which is the point of cross training) and also you don't want to go back to TKD and find yourself completely rewired to a different system.
i'd say go to the tournament if you still feel like it. maybe it's just your friend causing your depression. if you enjoy the tournament, i guess you'll have the answer.
Sounds like you might have a case of the black belt blues. I think a lot of people have a bit of a dip after getting their 1st Dan and I'm not really sure why. Training with people that don't make it fun is a real killer though, is there anyone else you can partner up with? It doesn't make it easy when you're also friends outside of the class. Also what does she mean when she says you don't catch her kicks?
Taekwon-do Blues Article Hope it helps... everyone reaches these plateaus.. only the strong ones get past them! You are strong right? Stuart
Trust me I've gone through periods like this myself, including recently, but the best thing in my opinion is NOT to take a big break. Work through it by keeping going. That said if the injury to your toe is bothering you, it might be wise to skip a couple days, i.e., a little break, to let that heal up, while you re-charge your batteries. You'll get through it. No one leaves the cult of TKD! Seriously no one leaves. We know where you live.
Ditto that Seriously - I have been having the training blues since early 2005. I am still grinding away hoping that I will find that magical, warm fussy feeling inside again, being so happy and so looking forward to the next lesson. But seriously, if training was easy, there's something wrong with it, wouldn't you think? And "difficulities" that we experience should challenge us in ways beyond just physically having a kick about, or a thump up.
Thanks for the replies. Tomorrow is my tournament. I'll let you know how it went. I would like to cross train in Muay Thai, but MT lessons are expensive and I am trying to save to go to Korea. What I mean for not catching her kicks is like she kicks like one meter away and I am supposed to catch her kick so that she hit foccus mitt or whatever we are hitting. I really don't have any other person to train. It is a small club and there are few adults. So I really don't have any other person to train and to spar at my club. That sucks. You don't know where I live!!! :woo: :woo: :woo:
I can get you into Korea for free ^^. Problem is getting you out ^^. KAKAKA 1. You need to quit TKD, and just go to random TKD schools and beat up ppl who think your a begininer. 2. Kim Jong-IL told me to do that.
It sucks when the only training partners suitible for you suck, or like to give it but not take it. can't you get a friend to join? That suggestion has never worked for me but I keep trying. Try to get better on your own, someone is bound to turn up one day who want to work at your pace - hopefully
Yesterday was the tournmanet. I had fun at the tournament. I won third place. I liked sparring with new people. Maybe I'll get a rest from TKD, but I still like TKD.
